1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cable protection and guide device that is adapted for receiving relatively light and small-diameter cables, such as a cable for supplying electric power or a hose for supplying energy of compressed air to a movable member of a semiconductor fabrication apparatus, a pharmaceutical development and test apparatus, a vehicle door opening and closing device, a vehicle slide seat, or a vehicle electric sunroof, etc., and securely guiding and protecting the cables during movement of the movable member.
2. Description of Related Art
The conventional tubular cable protection and guide device is configured iteratively in a linear position and a flexional position and receive cables along a sheet longitudinal direction in a cable receiving room that is formed by bending two sides of a ruler-shaped elastomer resin sheet formed by extruding in the sheet longitudinal direction (refer to Patent Literatures 1 to 3, for example).
A tubular cable protection and guide device 700, as illustrated in FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B, is an example of the conventional tubular cable protection and guide device.
FIG. 8A is a schematic diagram illustrating a state of the conventional tubular cable protection and guide device 700 before assembly when viewed from a sheet longitudinal direction L. FIG. 8B is a schematic diagram illustrating a state of the conventional tubular cable protection and guide device 700 after assembly when viewed from the sheet longitudinal direction L.
The conventional tubular cable protection and guide device 700 includes an elastomer resin sheet 700A that has an outer circumference wall forming portion 720, a pair of bending portions 710 on the left and right sides, a pair of sidewall forming portions 730 on the left and right sides, and inner circumference wall forming portions 740.
The outer circumference wall forming portion 720 is configured to be connected in the sheet longitudinal direction L when the linear position is performed, and expanded and separated by a predetermined pitch in the sheet longitudinal direction L on a flexional outer circumference side when the tubular cable protection and guide device is configured in the flexional position.
Moreover, the bending portions 710 are thin at boundaries between the outer circumference wall forming portion 720 and the respective sidewall forming portions 730 so as to facilitate the bending of the bending portions 710.
The sidewall forming portions 730 that are formed in pair on the left and right sides are connected with two sides of the outer circumference wall forming portion 720. When the tubular cable protection and guide device is configured in the linear position, the respective sidewall forming portion 730 is connected in the sheet longitudinal direction L; and when the tubular cable protection and guide device is configured in the flexional position, the respective sidewall forming portion 730 is expanded and separated by a predetermined pitch in the sheet longitudinal direction L.
In addition, the inner circumference wall forming portions 740 are formed integrally with the respective sidewall forming portions 730 on the left and right sides and are vertical thereto. When a cable receiving room R is formed, the inner circumference wall forming portions 740 are closed with a pair of female inner circumference wall portion 741A and male inner circumference wall portion 741B engaged with each other in the sheet longitudinal direction L on a flexional inner circumference side, so as to form a wall facing the outer circumference wall forming portion 720.